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Monthly Archives: September 2016

So your child is going away to summer camp, how exciting! If this is your child’s first time to go to summer camp, you will want to make sure you go over a few life skills to ensure their time at camp is a pleasant one. Most parents overlook a few key factors that must be discussed with the child to ensuresummer programs for kids are safe and enjoyable. Read on below to see just what you should discuss with your child before heading off to camp.

Be Aware of The Outdoors
To get started, you want your child to be aware of the outdoors. This can include knowing what creatures are present in the area and how to respond if approached. Many camps are located in primitive areas where wild animals are present and children need to know how to act if they come across such creatures.

Know Your Plant Life
Children heading off to day camps for kids must be aware of plant life. Children need to learn what poison oak and poison ivy are so they can avoid these plants at all cost. Day camp would be miserable for a child who has been exposed and developed a rash due to such plants.

Eating Correctly
Many kids may think that going away to a summer program for kids means eating whatever they want. This is how many kids end up with an upset tummy. Teach your child the proper way to eat while away at camp. They must know to avoid eating too much junk food and ensure breakfast, lunch and dinner are all consumed for proper nutrition.

Being Clean
It is also important to stress to your child about being clean. Taking a shower is important but something that is not really on most children’s to-do list. Talk with your child about being clean, going over that deodorant must be used each day, teeth are to be brushed etc., to ensure your child is clean while away.

Bug Care
Since camp will take place outdoors there will be bugs. Teach your child how to use mosquito spray and which bugs should be avoided such as spiders and red ants.

Medication
If your child takes medication regularly such as allergy medicine or perhaps Tylenol for a headache, they need to learn how to do so responsibly. Teach your child the proper dosage amounts as well as when to take such medicines while away from home.

Contact
Your child needs to know how to contact you. Teach them how to use a regular house phone as well as how to use a calling card if needed. Consider what methods of contact will be available at the camp.

Getting Help
Teach your child how and when to get help when it is needed. Go over emergency situations and what should be done during specific scenarios.

Cleaning Up
Remind your child that their bed at camp should be made, trash thrown away and their space should always be nice and tidy.

Be Open
Teach your child to be open to new experiences. Tell them to try something new and have fun in the process.

Check out Zodiac Day Camp to learn more about camping options and what your child needs to know before attending summer camp.

Summer programs for kids are the perfect way to keep children busy while school is not in session. After school lets out for the summer months, kids can easily become bored and need something to occupy their time. Day camps for kids are a great way to integrate activities, provide ways of making new friends and just allow children to have fun during the summer. Below are a few testimonials from parents as they share why they send their children to camp each and every year.

David’s Testimony
David is a single dad of three girls who sends his children to camp each and every year. He has found that his children love to interact with others at camp who have similar interests in arts and crafts. David’s girls are 5, 7 and 10 years of age, each enjoying the experience that summer programs for kids can provide. David has found that his children are more vocal and outgoing after going to camp and interacting with other children as well as the counselors. His girls enjoy the activities provided as they are staying active during the boring summer months with the lack of school scheduling.

Grandma Martha’s Testimony
Grandma Martha has two young grandchildren, both boys, who are very rambunctious. The boys love to play outside and get dirty and Grandma Martha has trouble keeping up sometimes. To provide activities for her grandsons, Grandma Martha enrolls the boys in day camps for kids. The day camps provide outdoor activities, which the boys love, such as swimming and archery. Grandma Martha gets a break from the hectic pace of the boys while the boys enjoy spending their energy outside with others their age. As a grandparent, it can be difficult to play and interact with growing children. Day camp allows children to expend their energy and grandparents can provide love and support once they are tired after a long day of activity.

Sarah’s Shy Daughter
Sarah is a mom of one daughter, age 8. Sarah’s daughter has been having trouble overcoming her shyness and making friends. Sarah thought it would be a good idea to have her daughter attend one of the local summer programs for kids. She thought this would be a great way for her daughter to overcome being shy and hopefully make a few friends in the process. Sarah’s daughter loved the craft activities at camp and eventually was able to make a couple of new friends once she felt comfortable talking to other campers. Sarah feels that giving her daughter an outlet for her creativity and doing so with others who are like-minded allowed her daughter to come out of her shell and be more open to others.

To learn more about day camp options for kids and how your child can benefit, contact Zodiac Kids today. The day camp group offers several alternatives for day camp and summer programs to keep your child busy for hours each day. Contact Zodiac Day Camp to learn more.

Social media has become a go-to for many things, such as catching up with old friends or finding local businesses. When it comes to finding a quality kid’s summer camp, social media sites can also be used. However, most parents have no idea how to use social media sites such as Facebook to find information about local summer camps. Below is a short guide on how to use this resource to your advantage.

Start with Google
To get started, you will need to find local camps in your area in which to search for on social media sites like Facebook. Start with Google and look up camp types in your area. If your child is interested in swimming, look for swim camps. Arts and crafts lovers will also find camps offered nearby or perhaps in the next city over. Once you find camps that seem appealing, make a list of each name and location. You will then be able to go on Facebook and use this information to find the camps Facebook page.

Facebook
The best social media resource for kid’s summer camp information is Facebook. Take a look at your list and begin searching on Facebook for the camps you found. In most cases, the camp will have a Facebook page. You can then use the information on the Facebook page to ensure the camp has a good rating and to find out more about what the camp offers.

To get started, look at the left portion of the camp’s Facebook page. You should see a star rating. You want to use the star rating and read reviews on the camp. You can find out a lot about how the camp is received by reading reviews. Four and five star reviews will show that the camp is loved and is a great option for your kids.

Also look for the visitor posts section. This section will show you posts that have been made by others. You want to look for positive posts but also the negative. If you see a negative post, see if the camp responded. How the camp handles the negativity says a lot about the camp and its counselors.

View photos and status updates to get a feel for the camp. Photos should show kids enjoying the activities available as well as what the camp actually looks like. This can give you a better idea as to what to expect as well as give you something to show your children in regards to the camp.

Contact Directly
Once you have used Facebook to find a few summer camps of interest, contact the camps directly. Speak to the supervisor or owner of the camp to learn more. Use the information from the camps Facebook page to be able to ask any questions or bring up any concerns you have. Take notes so you can make a final decision on the right summer camp for your child.

So your child is attending Summer Camp, what will you do now with your time? Children enjoy going to day camp for kids and taking part in many activities such as art, swimming and socializing but what are parents to do while their kiddos are away? Learn how to keep busy while the kiddos are enjoying themselves, taking a little me time for yourself in the process!

Take Me Time
Since the kids are gone for a bit at summer camp, take some time to yourself. How often do you have time to just sit and read a book without being interrupted? Consider what activities you like to do and do them! Spend time doing something you enjoy while you have the peace and quiet to do so. You will be able to relax and enjoy having alone time while you know the kids are having fun while at summer camp.

Organize
It can be difficult to keep things organized around the home while the kids are always underfoot. While they are away, why not consider organizing a few areas of the home such as the kid’s bedrooms? Redecorate or simply reorganize so that your home looks nice and tidy. This can be a fun process that would otherwise be stressful if the kiddos were at home. Turn on your favorite music and listen to a few tunes while you organize any area of the home you wish.

Go Shopping
Shopping with kids can be quite stressful, especially if you are shopping for yourself. Kids quickly become bored and want to leave. Moms can easily feel the need to leave without continuing to shop just to stop hearing whining or complaining. Go shopping while the kids are at summer camp so you can enjoy the quiet time browsing. You don’t even have to buy anything. Just enjoy the experience.

Spend Time with Friends
While the day camp for kids is taking place, why not catch up with old friends. Contact a friend and go for lunch or shopping. Spend time with someone you miss while not having to worry about having the kids underfoot. Sometimes you just need adult conversation. Plan a few lunch dates while the kids are at camp to be able to enjoy adult-time with friends or family.

Just Relax
Sometimes it can be hard for moms to just relax. While the kids are away at summer camp, don’t plan anything. Just simply sit down and watch your favorite television programs or even take a nap. Do whatever you enjoy that makes you feel relaxed, able to unwind while not having to do anything for anyone else! You will be surprised at how refreshed you feel once you have done nothing for a few hours!

To learn more about summer camp options for kids of all ages, contact Zodiac Day Camps. Programs are created about age groups to provide quality activities such as swimming, arts and crafts and more. Find the best program for your child and enjoy a little me time in the process.

Summer camp is a great option for kids after school has ended and boredom sets in. Kids summer camp allows children to learn new activities, make new friends and just have fun. However, many parents feel like day camps for kids may be too expensive. While summer camp does have a cost, the end result is well worth it. Parents will find children learn new skills, from the physical aspects like swimming and camping as well as social, with meeting new friends and following directions. Learn just how children benefit from summer camp to know you are making the right decision in signing up.

Social Aspect

Day camps for kids are a great way to introduce socializing with others. If your child is shy, they can work on opening themselves up to others by attending a day camp. Children are paired together or work in teams during activities, easily having the ability to make new friends. Children who are already social butterflies will excel, rubbing off on the shyer children to help them become more open and willing to make friends.

Learn Important Skills

Day camps for kids allow children to learn important life skills. Take swimming for instance. By learning how to swim at summer camp, children will be safer in the water. Most parents try to teach their own kids how to swim but end up becoming frustrated because the child does not listen or is not interested. Learning this activity at camp is different. Parents are not around and children are more willing to listen to counselors. Children also are more willing to learn if they see other children taking part. It’s basically a win/win for parents as the kids are having fun and learning a life skill for safe swimming. Other skills can be learned at camp as well from camping to arts and crafts which helps children as they grow older with school assignments as well as in adult life.

Happy Child Equals Happy Life

During the summer months, children can easily become bored. They begin to hang around underfoot and want to be entertained constantly. With summer camp, you have an automatic option for entertainment. You can sign your child up for day camp so they can be entertained and have activities to enjoy during the day. Your child will be happy and wore out by the end of the day which means a peaceful home life.

It is so easy for kids to become bored once school has ended. The child goes from having something to do for seven to eight hours in the day to having to entertain themselves. By signing up for day camps, your child will be active and be happy, making friends and enjoying fun and exciting activities.

Learn more about summer camp by contacting Zodiac Day Camps. Programs are available based on age groups with quality activities offered in each category for children to enjoy. Find the right day camp for your child to stay active during the summer months.

A Rescue Swimmer School candidate performs a body sweep to check for entanglements or injury in the pool at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

One of the most important life skills to learn is swimming. Drowning is ranked the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States. This tragic ending can be prevented with the proper water safety instruction and skills, and it should be taught at a young age.

There are bodies of water all over the world such as lakes, seas, rivers, oceans, dams and pools. Drowning comprises of about 10% of unintentional injuries per day in the United States, many of which lead to death. About 73% of people who drowned in 2012 alone were children aged 14 and under. The good thing is that many of these accidental drowning can be prevented by following safety regulations, and also by being equipped with the necessary rescue skills. With this in mind, you would agree with me if I argued that it is vital for your child to learn some of the basic swimming rescue skills. Due to this fact, Toronto swimming lessonsare tailored to equip kids with safety swimming skills.

By making sure that your child learns the basics of swimming reduces his or her chances of drowning. In many swimming programs, the first lesson involves teaching the kids some of the basics of swimming. This includes certain styles to prevent drowning such as treading water, doggie paddle, and crawl stroke. This will improve your child’s confidence when in the water which is very important. But, it should be noted that even the best swimmers can drown, therefore being overconfident is not an option.

Kids especially those who swim in beaches should be taught how to spot and evade strong currents. If possible they should avoid swimming completely when there are huge swells in the sea. The ‘rip currents’ are very fast and pose a lot of danger to the swimmers, especially to those who are beginners. There are certain signs that can tell you that you will be in for very strong currents in the next few minutes. The water around changes its color, the waves change patterns from time to time, and there occurs steady movement of debris in the sea. Once you spot these changes in the beach, you should consider getting out of the sea immediately. Fortunately, in some Toronto swimming lessonsthe kids are taught how to handle themselves when they go to their swimming programs.

If by bad luck you find yourself in strong currents, the first thing is to stay calm. Many people drown because they panic. Once you are calm, then think quickly of what to do next. If there are people around call for help. In the unfortunate event you find yourself alone, don’t fight with the currents. Make a 90 degree turn and move parallel to sea shore. Rip currents are majorly active in narrow channels therefore by swimming in a parallel direction, it gives you a better chance of landing where the waters are a bit calmer.

If you realize you are losing control of yourself when swimming the best thing is to let yourself float on water instead of fighting to stay on cause. In Toronto swimming lessons, treading water is an important technique taught to kids as a safety mechanism to prevent drowning. Fighting to stay above the water only depletes your energy thus decreasing your chances of survival. Simply turn upright and try sweeping water with your arms in order to stabilize yourself, then easily do the kicking motion with your legs to stay afloat, and then you can call for help.

Finally, kids should avoid the use of drugs at all cost. The use of drugs only impairs your judgment. You might think you are on the shallow end when actually you are on the deep end of the pool. Also, drug abuse gives an individual false confidence which can lead to accidental drowning.

Zodiac summer camp is one of the best summer camps in the area. It offers first class swimming programsalong other amazing programs such as adventure sports, fashion design, robotics and jewelry art for kids. For more info visit their website www.zodiackids.ca